The invention relates to packages composed of at least two cuboid or cubic part packs, preferably each for receiving a group of cigarette packs, the part packs lying against one another with inner walls and being connected to one another. The invention relates, furthermore, to a process for producing such packages and to an apparatus.
Packs of the abovementioned type serve for receiving groups of cigarette packs and are often referred to in practice as cigarette sticks. The package can be divided in such a way that the two part packs form respective independent units having a group of, for example, five cigarette packs.
Examples of this type of a bundle pack for cigarettes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,534. In this known solution, the part packs are connected to one another in the region of a separating edge having perforations. When the package is put to use, the perforation of the separating edge is severed by breaking the part packs.
In another known version of this type of package, the part packs are connected to one another not only along a perforation line to be severed by breaking, but additionally by glue spots which are made in the region of the mutually confronting inner walls of the part packs. Furthermore, the part packs are connected to one another by means of a perforated adhesive strip extending in the region of longitudinal side walls and of end walls. The perforation of the adhesive strip also has to be eliminated in order to separate the part packs.
The abovementioned packages do not yet have the best possible design from a point of view of production and handling. Moreover, the solutions in terms of the apparatus for producing the packs which emerge from U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,534 have not proved efficient.